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PERFECT GAME - Chapter 10 on Eat Sleep Write

Haley
came awake slowly.She breathed in the
aroma of coffee and something else...antiseptic?She stirred where she lay.Her vision took a moment to come to her and
when it cleared, she knew she was on a mattress wrapped in a thin sheet.

She
took stock of things.Her muscles ached
as if she’d run for miles and she felt very weak.To her left, a tray sat with a glass of water
and a few hypodermic needles.She
frowned. A hospital, perhaps a clinic.Nearby she heard voices whispering. To her right sat an empty chair. Had
someone been using it for a daily vigil?She could think of no one in Africa that would be so concerned for her
well-being.

"Hello?"
she asked hoarsely to no one in particular.

A tall man came to the foot of the
bed.He had a mysterious, but
authoritative quality about him and he looked American.He was attractive in a way, but that was
neither here nor there. "Haley!" he exclaimed excitedly."My God, you're finally awake. You've
been out for days."

He spoke to her as if they'd been
friends for years.She licked her lips,
frowning."What happened to
me?Where am I?"

"You overworked yourself. You’re in
a clinic in Marsabit."

"I don't understand.I did this after the flight?"

Fear and pain crossed his features
before they were hidden behind a mask of impassivity."Abdalla!"

A native man appeared.He was dressed in a crimson-colored robe of
sorts.He looked from Haley to the other
man."What is it?"

"You said amnesia was out of the
question."

He sighed."I said that odds were against the
possibility.There was, however, a small
chance of it occurring.Rift Valley
Fever has many symptoms including confusion."

The American nodded resolutely."She doesn't remember what happened...or
me, for that matter."

"I'm sorry, my friend.But, it may only be temporary.It could be the shock from what her body had
to endure.I cannot know without running
any tests and our resources are scarce."

"How long?"

"A day...a week...a month.There is no way to know.These things take time."

She sighed."Hello!I'm still here."

The American looked her over and gave
her a half-smile."We're being
rude, of course.I just needed to be
sure what was going on."

She sighed."Include me in it next time."

"Of course."

The other man stepped forward."Miss Stewart, do you know where you
are?"

"Africa.”Her mind scrambled for more details.“Kenya.”Then she shook her head.“I know
how I got in the country, but everything else is a blank."

"You mean everything after you
arrived?"

"Yes."

"Daniel tells me he's your
guide.You hired him.He's been with you for a little over a week.Does that sound familiar?"

She glanced at the American
uncertainly.Pain flashed in his eyes
again and a strange kind of desolation gripped her.Had something occurred between them? This man
was intelligent and cool, but his emotions were barely concealed.He was easy to read.This man felt something for her...what, she
did not know.Perhaps it was only
concern.Yet she felt drawn to him
too...he was very attractive."No," she answered softly.

The American turned to his friend."Can it be faked?"

He gave a nervous laugh. "Not
easily...and not convincingly. With this temporary amnesia will come confusion
and fear and loneliness. It's important
that she is not left alone."

She cleared her throat."Excuse me, gentlemen.But, I have questions of my own for
Mr.....Daniel..."

He grinned."Daniel West."

"Mr. West."

"Daniel," he chided.

She felt a sense of déjà vu, as if
they'd had this discussion once before."Daniel," she repeated."I hired you?"

He nodded."Yes."

"How much am I paying you to be my
guide?"

Color shifted beneath his dark skin
tone."Five hundred."

Her mouth dropped open. "Thousand?”

He
shook his head.

Five
hundred dollars? “That's all?" she gasped.

"That's all I require."

"Oh." She swallowed hard.
"Did something happen out there? Was there danger? Is that why I’m here?"

"Yes...poachers."

Dear God, what had she been involved
in?"They were after us?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He shrugged."We tried to stop them."

She shivered; she could well imagine the
kind of situation she'd been determined to stop.And perhaps this man had wanted to be involved
as well. "I see. And they've been following us since then?"

"Yes...but, there was also the
fever and the fire-"

"Fire?" she whispered.

The native man laid a hand on his
friend's shoulder."Daniel, let her
rest.This is too much for her."

He nodded."Thank you for helping, Abdalla.”

He grinned."I fear you would have slit my poor
throat if I hadn't." Then he turned away.

"What did he mean by that?"

He suddenly looked sheepish. "I was
concerned about you. You lost consciousness in my arms three days ago."

She’d fainted in his arms? Was there a
significance to those words? "Then, why the amnesia?"

He shrugged."Abdalla thinks it is part of this
disease you have."

She swallowed. "Is that what you
think?"

"Perhaps. But, I wouldn’t blame you
for being in shock after everything that happened."

She nodded. There was also the sense of
intuition she felt about them both.They
had a connection and it wasn't only survival-related.So, what was it? "Were we...did
we-" She sighed.“Were we lovers?”

Wasn't there? She wasn't sure she
believed him.What if he was only
protecting her from the truth? Or perhaps he meant to hide it, to avoid
connections. "There's my book..." she managed.

"There is that, of course. But, nothing
else."

Would she have stayed for the man if she
didn't have amnesia?Haley couldn’t be certain
there was absolutely nothing between them. She had such an odd feeling around
him. Too weary to analyze it further, she sighed."Are we still being pursued?"

He shook his head.“It’s pretty common around here.Abdalla is taking care of you with
antibiotics and such.” He frowned. “I’m not really sure what he’s giving you,
but he can tell you.You should be fine
with some rest.”

She nodded. “Why am I so sore
everywhere?”

“That’s part of it too.Abdalla?”

The man returned. “What can I do for
you, friend?”

“Are you giving her anything for the
muscle pain?”

He nodded and gestured for a nurse to
bring a syringe. He prepped it, flicking his finger against the plastic.Then he inserted it beneath her skin. She was
in so much discomfort that she hardly felt the sting.After he administered the medication, he
patted her arm. “Lala salama,” he
said and stepped away.

She frowned.“What did he say?”

Daniel smiled gently.“Sleep well.”

Relieved, her head fell back on the
pillow.“I’m not sure I can sleep just
yet.Will you stay?”

He nodded.“I will.”He sat down on the chair next to the bed.

“Can you tell me again what
happened?Why they are after us?”

He launched into the story.His deep, even voice comforted her.She listened while he spun the tale of the
elephant, how Daniel had driven the car as they were shot at.Later, they had come across the animals in
the cages. They had made quick work of their escape.Then there was the fire, of course.

Haley was satisfied that the reason she
was in danger was for a good cause.It
eased some of the fear that had grown since he’d informed her. “Tell me about
you.How did you become a guide?”

“I was raised here.My mother was from the states, but she was a
veterinarian.And she wanted to make a
difference.So she came here, brought me
with her when I was just a boy.”

“Is she still here?”

He nodded.“She is.Actually, she lives a few miles away.”He glanced away.“She’d love
you,” he said in a low tone.

Again, she got the feeling that there
was more to her relationship with Daniel West than he let on.And she would figure it out.She was determined to.

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Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three
cats. She has been writing for over twenty-five years. She has more works in
progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 22 books in the genres of
historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal
romance, science fiction, fantasy, mystery/thriller, dramatic fiction, literary fiction and poetry. She has
also contributed to several anthologies. Her current series are The
Heiresses in Love Series, The Code of Endhivar Series, The Magick Series and The Blood at First Sight
Series.